


mako’s bad brain day

by abcame



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mako-centric, No Plot/Plotless, Poor Mako (Avatar), Tenderness, catch the spop reference, makos just sad, the title is stupid but im bad at titles so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28960245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abcame/pseuds/abcame
Summary: In which Mako has a bad day and Wu reminds him it’s okay
Relationships: Mako/Prince Wu (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	mako’s bad brain day

Mako had been sitting on the couch, holding a book open in his hands but staring blankly at the floor for who knows how long when he heard keys in the door. The metal clangs pulling him from his thoughts, he ripped his eyes away from the random patch of carpet to pretend he had been reading his book. He’d just managed to blink the cloudiness from his eyes as Wu stepped through the doorframe and Mako looked up to greet him.

“Hi, babe,” he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “How was the meeting?”

“Oh it was pretty good, nothing unusually good or bad I suppose,” Wu sighed as he hung his coat on the rack before heading over to Mako, where he wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

“Whatcha reading?”

“Oh uhh,” Mako stuttered as he scrambled to remember the title of the book that was really just a prop at the moment. He settled for turning the cover over for Wu to read for himself, hoping that wasn’t a weird enough move to raise concern.

“I thought you’d already read that one, didn’t you?” Wu asked. “Actually, you totally did, Jinora just lent you the sequel.”

“Oh yeah, uhh, I guess I misread the title,” Mako lied. He hadn’t actually read the title at all, just picked something up randomly because he knew there was very little chance of him actually reading when he sat down with it. He just felt too guilty sitting around without even the pretense of productivity, so he brought it with him while he sat on the couch, a million miles away.

Gently tipping his boyfriend’s chin upwards so he could look at his face, Wu asked, “Hey, you okay?”

When Mako met his eyes, they were as stunning and green as ever, but full of concern. Whenever Wu looked at him like that, it made his stomach twist a little; he hated making him feel that way. Hoping to ease his worry, Mako closed the space between them, kissing him softly.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” he said, smiling a small, half smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Wu wasn’t convinced. Coming around to the other side, he took a seat next to Mako and took his hand in his own.

“You’re sure? Because, you don’t have to be.”

Mako interlaced their fingers together and sighed. “I guess not really. It’s just one of those days.”

Wu knew what he meant. This happened, from time to time. Something would grip Mako and derail his brain for a day, maybe a few. Sometimes there was a cause, but not always. He scooched closer so their sides were flush with one another.

“Anything bring it on?” He asked as Mako dropped his head against his shoulder.

“No. I’m just feeling…”he trailed off into another defeated sigh, not finishing the thought. Wu’s profuse patience and empathy had gone a long way in helping Mako be comfortable expressing emotion, but, he still had a long way to go in terms of emotional intelligence. All he knew right then was that he felt bad. Wu kissed his forehead then laid his against Mako’s.

“Mm, I’m sorry baby.” They sat in amicable silence for a few minutes, Wu absentmindedly stroking Mako’s hand with his thumb. He was pretty sure he knew what Mako was feeling that he couldn’t put into words. He’d felt it before, too. Sort of a sick feeling of smallness, like you could be blown over in a slight breeze or be squashed easily.

Mako turned his head so it was buried in Wu’s neck and let out a sharp sigh. Wu brought his other hand to rest against Mako’s head.

“I’m sorry,” Mako mumbled.

“For what?”

“You’ve been at work all day and I know you like to hang out when you get home. You shouldn’t have to deal with a moody boyfriend.”

The apology was so outrageous Wu would have laughed at it if it didn’t make him so sad. Mako did that a lot, apologized for having bad days, for not being on 24/7. He understood _why_ he did it, but the ache it elicited in his chest never went away.

“Mako,” he started softly, pulling back just enough to get a look at his face. “If it were me or any of your friends that were having a bad day, you’d just want to be there for them. You’d never be mad, so why would I be mad at you?”

Mako wouldn’t meet his eyes. Wu continued anyways.

“How come you give your love so freely to everyone but yourself?” It was a rhetorical question that Wu knew the answer to. Mako didn’t need to say that he didn’t think he deserved the same kindness as his friends for him to know that was the reason.

Mako squeezed his eyes shut now, feeling too scooped out and vulnerable. He had to set his jaw to keep it from quivering.

Gently, Wu tipped his chin up, forcing gold eyes to meet green. He needed to be sure he was listening to what he said next.

“You’re worth more than what you can give to other people. You deserve love, too.”

Mako’s throat tightened. His immediate response to any statement that he deserved good things was resistance. It was hard to rewire a brain after decades of self-depreciation. But, if Wu, the best, kindest, most patient, earnest, and deserving of love person he knew, thought he was good, well, he must have a reason. Even though it felt impossible, Mako figured he should at least _try_ to see what Wu saw in him.

So, he nodded.

“I’m trying,” Mako whispered. “I love you so much.”

Wu kissed him softly and pulled back into a small smile, sweet and easy. It made Mako’s heart flip a little.

“I love you more.”

**Author's Note:**

> i actually wrote this a while ago and felt like it was ~too much~ and maybe it still is but i don't know, i like this kind of thing lol. also, that mara line from spop is definitely my favorite sentence in any piece of media ever


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